Mercedes are working on gaining a psychological edge over their opponents with the help of a New Zealand doctor.

Dr Ceri Evans, who is credited with turning the All Blacks into World Cup winners, is offering professional help to the team of world championship contenders Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

Employing psychiatrists is popular in modern sport. Steve Peters has worked with British Cycling, the England football team and cricketer Jonathan Trott among others, but the involvement of an equivalent figure in motor racing is rare.

Dr Ceri Evans has been praised for his work with the All Blacks in the lead up to their 2011 World Cup win

Evans will work closely with the star Mercedes pair of Lewis Hamilton (left) and Nico Rosberg

Toto Wolff (right), pictured with the entire Mercedes team, is a big believer in sports psychology

However, Toto Wolff, the 42-year-old Austrian in charge of Mercedes, is a devotee of management manuals.

A spokesman for Mercedes said: ‘We worked with Ceri at the start of the season and we are continuing to explore how we can work with him. It’s about developing a team-winning mentality — not for the drivers.’

Wolff said he had looked at how to cushion the blow felt by whichever Mercedes man loses out in the title decider in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

Employing psychiatrists is popular in modern sport with Dr Steve Peters working with British Cycling

Peters (right) has worked closely with Steven Gerrard in the past as well as the entire England squad

'It would be particularly galling for Hamilton, given he takes a 17-point lead into the last encounter.

Wolff said: ‘I was impressed by the way Alain Prost acknowledged Niki Lauda winning the championship by half a point in 1984. He went on to take three titles in the next four years.

'I’ve told our drivers that whatever happens this will not be the end of their Mercedes careers.’